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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” noted England coach Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment carried similar weight.

The England boss was discussing the instant the Villa player ran off in jubilation following her debut international strike – six minutes into a win over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she quipped, poking fun at Kendall’s immaculate knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with an amazed expression and a massive grin.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “a staple” of Southampton for a decade, where she came up through the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a big step.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt unreal.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a significant choice at 15 set her on her path.

Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She went with football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said in a previous media conference.

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder renowned for his goalscoring ability – and Kendall has begun her career in a similar fashion.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and dedication to become a star.

The club fought to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to introduce her to the top flight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has established herself, becoming a regular in the top flight and earning a place in the England squad.

“Displaying consistency is challenging for any new arrival in the WSL, but she has managed it,” said Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

Her performance was notable; she struck the woodwork and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She came off after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

Kendall scored 29 goals for the club in more than a decade of service and added: “Being at Southampton for so long, I played regular senior football from the age of 16 and that stood me in really good stead.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

‘Technically and Tactically, She Is a Very Strong Midfielder’

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

Wiegman is keen to protect her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “down-to-earth” Kendall is.

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

“{This team's just gone on to win back-to